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Learn the essentials:
'The Basic Ten' of piercing
According to the Association of
Professional Piercers, the "Basic Ten" requirements to ensure a proper
piercing are:
Ear-piercing guns should not be used. Because they cannot be
sterilized, they can cause serious, permanent damage to the body. The tissue
is torn by the blunt backing of an ear stud. The practice of swabbing the
area with alcohol is inefficient and serves only to push the contaminants
around the skin.
All needles are presterilized, used on one person, in one
sitting, and immediately disposed of in a medical container.
All forceps
and tubes are presterilized, stored in sterile bags and used used in only one
person. After such use, they are Autoclaved, or cleaned, in a sterilizer.
All reusable, nonsterilizable implements, such as calipers (a measuring
instrument) are nonporous and disinfected after each use with a bleach
solution or a chemical hard-surface disinfectant.
As many supplies as
possible, including corks and rubber bands, are presterilized in an Autoclave
or cleaned with a disinfecting liquid, stored in a clean, closed container,
and disposed of immediately after a single use.
A new pair of latex gloves
is worn for every procedure, and gloves are changed whenever the slightest
chance of cross contamination might occur.
The room for piercings,
bathrooms and other common areas are kept scrupulously clean and disinfected
frequently.
All jewelry contaminated with only airborne pathogens (not
previously worn or contaminated) have been disinfected with a non-hazardous
hard-surface disinfectant. All jewelry contaminated or potentially
contaminated with blood-borne pathogens (previously worn by another person)
are Autoclaved.
Only the appropriate jewelry will be used after piercings.
Appropriate jewelry is made of implant-grade, high-quality stainless steel
(300 series), solid 14k or 18k gold, niobium, titanium, platinum, or a dense
low-porosity plastic such as monofilament nylon, acrylic or lucite. Ear studs
are designed for ear-lobe piercings and should not be used for other parts of
the body. Appropriate jewelry has no nicks, scratches or irregular surfaces
to endanger the tissue.
Different bodies and different piercings call for
different jewelry. A ring that's the perfect size in an eyebrow can be
downright dangerous in the navel, for example. Jewelry that's too thin can
tear out of the body. Jewelry that's too thick can cause a collection of pus
around inflamed tissue, known as an abscess, or an effect known as keloiding,
where skin heals in a lump over jewelry.
Finally, the piercer will be open
and available for consultation and not under the influence of legal or
illegal substances that impair his or her abilities to perform the
piercing. |
